


Sole Survivor on the Prydwen

by CasBruell



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Confessions, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Paladin Danse is also Depressed, Rescue, Suicide Attempt, Support
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 18:05:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13393323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasBruell/pseuds/CasBruell
Summary: Paladin Danse rescues the Sole Survivor from a suicide attempt on the Prydwen flight deck. The usual from me and a demo for future Fallout 4 works.





	Sole Survivor on the Prydwen

Sole had disappeared after returning from a research patrol. Paladin Danse didn't think much of it, content to chock it up to the Vault Dweller having many responsibilities to balance aside from their duties as a Brotherhood Knight, but the moment he stepped out of his power armour and tossed the cap of the orange jumpsuit beneath onto his bed he saw, out of the corner of his eye, the sheet of paper crudely taped to the locker to his right. The duct tape took the header of the paper clean off when he tried to peel it away, but even without the formal address to him at the top, he understood the letter just fine.

 

Danse' heart dropped from his chest and into his stomach. He threw the door to his quarters open and scaled the latter to the Prydwen flight deck at the speed of sound, offering only a "pardon me, Elder!" when Maxson shouted after him demanding what was going on. He scanned the rows of parked vertibirds, a bitter cold wind tossing his hair to the right, and nearly tripped flying down the stairs when he noticed the single vacant space on the deck, and the billow of what seemed to be a familiar jacket on the wrong side of the railing.

 

"Sole, wait!" He exclaimed, his feet carrying him across the flight deck with speed and agility he forgot he possessed due to the several hundred pound suit of armour he wore to combat every day. When the wobbly knees steadied and a boot lifted from the Prydwen to take a step away from the edge, Danse pounced, coiling his fists around the Knight's leather straps, pulling back, probably giving them whiplash, but it was much better than the alternative. Danse collapsed back on his glutes, both arms wrapped tight around the trembling soldier, and could only laugh to himself that he was barely in time to stop them. If he was in his armour, he would have been too late.

 

Sole was crying, sobbing out all kinds of apologies and a chorus of "I can't"s that broke the Paladin's heart. He eased his hold on them enough to cage the shaking body with his arms and legs, rubbing their biceps in an attempt to block them from the unsympathetic January breeze as it licked their pinking nose, ears, and cheeks. Danse looked towards the main deck and saw Elder Maxson standing at the top of the stairs, observing them, seeming to be awaiting a call to action of sorts. Danse took the cue and lifted the Vault Dweller into a bridal-style hold, easily supporting their weight, and carried them into the Prydwen where it was much warmer and more comfortable.

 

After that incident, the entire Prydwen walked on egg shells around the Knight. They had dealt with suicide ideology before, but nobody knew exactly how to handle a survivor. It was easy to praise Danse, however; he had done a great thing, as everyone put it. It was much easier to compliment the hero than to interact with the victim, Danse observed.

 

Sole slept a lot after their failed attempt. Danse allowed them to rest in the privacy of his quarters, where nobody could judge them and they could have their space to recover. Elder Maxson ordered them to hand over their weapons until everything was settled, fearing that they would attempt a second time, and Danse agreed with his decision although he had his reservations. He saw how humiliated Sole looked when they emptied their duffel bag of anything "dangerous", which happened to be everything, save for a few junk items they saved for crafting, like circuit boards and raw steel. Danse worried about how numb Sole looked a few days later, simply laying on his bed in the same position, their eyes staring emptily at the metal ceiling, how simply  _vacant_ they were where a once lively and occasionally sarcastic soldier once was.

 

Danse sat down with them one day on the bed, the two of them with their backs to each other and their legs draped over the sides of the cot. Danse leaned down to rest his elbows on his thighs and clasped his hands together. "You must hear this a lot, soldier, but I want you to know you can come to me with any problems you have. You don't have to face the Commonwealth on your own. I'm here for you, just like I know you're here for me."

 

Sole was silent, but Danse could feel them nodding their head. He continued. "I used to feel the way that you do." He said. "I'll admit that I've never gotten to the point that you have, but there have definitely been plenty of times that I felt the desire to end everything. I'd like to tell you that I found something to make that feeling dissipate, but that would be untruthful. I find greater purpose in the Brotherhood, it helps me keep my head above the water, but that does not mean that it will do the same for you."

 

Danse twisted his posture to look back at his Initiate. "Whatever you need to do to help yourself, know that I am there with you, no matter what. If you feel that you need to leave the Brotherhood, I completely understand, and I have no hard feelings at all regardless of your decision."

 

Sole didn't reply to that, they simply took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Danse said nothing more, he simply rested his hand on their shoulder and caressed the bony knob supportively. Minutes of silence hung between them before the Vault Dweller took another breath, placed their hand atop Danse', and gave him a melancholy but appreciative smile.

 

"Thank you, Paladin."

 


End file.
